The sun might be shining this week, but many growers have had a tough start to 2018 as they feel the impact of summer storms.
Queensland is no stranger to rough weather, and the significant damage sustained less than a year ago through Tropical Cyclone Debbie is just one indication of this.
There are things we can and are doing practically to mitigate the impacts inclement weather has on farming.
We continue to support calls from Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) to abolish stamp duty on agricultural insurance in Queensland – a move which would help mitigate the impact of natural disasters. We are also examining the possibilities for developing a multi-peril insurance product through our work with the QDAF Insurance Data Project.
Also, in conjunction with QFF, we secured funds to deliver the Cyclone Debbie Agricultural Recovery and Resilience Project. Through this project, industry recovery and resilience officers have been engaged to assist horticultural businesses in affected regions.
We seek feedback from our members affected by natural disasters. Most recently, we encouraged growers to have their say regarding the Cyclone Debbie recovery process to inform our conversations with government about the way Queensland supports farmers after natural disasters.
As growers feel the impact of these most recent summer storms, it’s timely for the whole community to reflect on the fact that farming can be really tough.
As hard as we work to build resilience through each storm season, summer storms are unfortunately part of the reality of farming in Queensland and we must be pragmatic in our approach.
It is essential that growers take time to prepare and stay vigilant during natural disaster season and use the services available for preparation and recovery.
Visit https://www.growcom.com.au/projects/disaster-risk-mgmt/#!form/NaturalDisaster and http://www.farmerdisastersupport.org.au for resources and information.
Throughout the storm season, we encourage growers to contact us if they need help navigating the assistance available through the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority or if they need us to make representations to the Department on their behalf.